Today@Sam Article

Fundraising Screening To Bring Linklater, Film Stars To SHSU

Before Richard Linklater became a five-time Academy Award-nominated director, writer and producer, he was a student at Sam Houston State University, where he was a member of the Bearkat baseball team.

Since the success of his 1993 cult classic “Dazed and Confused,” itself drawn on Linklater’s real-life experiences, Linklater has spoken of writing a film inspired by his time as a student-athlete at SHSU as a “spiritual sequel” to “Dazed.”

His latest comedic film, “Everybody Wants Some!!” does just that, following a group of friends as they navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood in college in the 1980s.

Because of his ties to SHSU, Linklater and cast members Blake Jenner, Tyler Hoechlin and Ryan Guzman will give the Bearkat community a sneak peek of the film on April 7 in SHSU’s James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center.

The fundraising event, which will begin at 7 p.m. in the Payne Concert Hall, will support student scholarships for SHSU’s film program, housed in the Department of Mass Communication.

It will include an introduction by Linklater—who wrote, directed and produced the film—followed by a screening and a question-and-answer session with Linklater and the cast members.

Tickets are $50 for individuals. In addition, the Student Activities Department has purchased 300 tickets that will be given away for free to students, with an active Bearkat OneCard, on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning Wednesday (March 30), at 8 a.m. Student Activities is located in Lowman Student Center Suite 328.

In addition, sponsorships are available at three levels: silver ($250), gold ($500) and platinum ($1,000), which will provide donors with prime seating for two at the screening.

Silver-level donors also will receive an official movie poster, while gold donors will also receive an autographed official movie poster and entry into a mix-and-mingle event with Linklater and cast members.

Platinum-level donors also will receive a photo with Linklater and cast members, a framed and autographed official movie poster and access for two to an exclusive reception, in addition to the gold-level benefits.

Linklater is considered one of the most well-regarded filmmakers working today and, over the last 30 years, has become a champion and supporter of independent cinema through his Austin Film Society.

He rose to fame with his 1991 independent comedy-drama “Slacker,” an experimental film revolving around 24 hours in the lives of 100 characters. His follow up, “Dazed and Confused” features a large ensemble cast that set many actors on the path to stardom, including Matthew McConaughey, Jason London, Ben Affleck, and Milla Jovovich, among many others.

His 2014 hit “Boyhood” received six Oscar nominations, garnered rave reviews, and was awarded top prizes by a number of film critic groups and film festivals. The film earned Linklater two Golden Globe Awards and two BAFTA awards and is currently rated at 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and 100 percent on Metacritic.

In addition to a number of other highly acclaimed films, Linklater is the artistic director of his Austin Film Society, which is considered one of the nation’s top film organizations and shows more than 200 films a year, produces educational programs, and has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to Texas film makers since 1996.

“Everybody Wants Some!!” premiers in theaters April 8. It also opened this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin.

Individual tickets and sponsorships can be purchased from the Office of the President by contacting special events coordinator Riley Kleppelid at 936.294.4758 or events@shsu.edu.

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